Loom reed motion

ABSTRACT

A reed control for weaving terry fabric in a loom of the type in which the lay and reed are reciprocated between upper and lower positions and the reed includes a cam face whereby it can be moved to beat-up picks of weft along a generally horizontally plane into the fell of the fabric.

United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,788,359

Volpe Jan. 29, 1974 LOOM REED MOTION 1,593,851 7/1926 Ryon 139/26 3,363,653 l/l968 Nichols 139/190 [75] Invenmr- Rlchard V011), Hopedale, Mass- 3,425,459 2/1969 Volpe 139/190 [73] Assignee: Rockwell International Corporation,

Pittsburgh, Pa. Primary Examiner-Henry SVJaudon [22] Filed: July 10 1972 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-John R. Bronaugh et al.

Appl. No.: 269,987

US. Cl. 139/26, 139/190 Int. Cl. D03d 49/60, D03d 39/22 Field of Search 139/25, 26, 188, 190

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1887 Brady 139/26 ABSTRACT A reed control for weaving terry fabric in a loom of the type in which the lay and reed are reciprocated between upper and lower positions and the reed includes a cam face whereby it can be moved to beat-up picks of weft along a generally horizontally plane into the fell of the fabric.

7 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEUJAN 29 I974 sum 1 or 4 PATENTED JAN 2 9 I974 SHEEI 2 0F 4 lCZD JONCIZOU MEFOMIMW PATENTEDJAM 2 9 1974 SHEET 3 OF 4 SELECTIVE CONTROL UNIT LOOM REED MOTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention pertains to looms having a lay and reed motion which function basically in an up and down reciprocating movement adjacent to the fell of the woven fabric. The forward surface or so-called face of the reed is formed at an angle with respect to perpendicular, and is effective on its downward stroke in beating a pick of weft to its beat-up position at the fell.

2. Description of the Prior Art In fly-shuttle as well as in shuttleless type looms, beat-up of a pick of weft yarn has generally been effected by a swinging lay and reed carried upon a pair of pivotable swords which are caused to move between forward and back positions in a well known manner.

The formation of a typical terry fabric requires three picks of weft per cycle and during the first and second picks, the reed is in position wherein only partial beatup of the two picks occurs. For the third pick of the terry cycle the reed is moved to complete beat-up of the three picks simultaneously during which time the pile loops are formed in a known manner. When weaving terry fabric in conventional type looms, or in other words those looms in which the lay and reed are carried on rocking swords, it is common practice to pivot the reed by any suitable means such as gearing or cam controlled linkage members to effect partial beat-up of the weft on certain picks and a complete beat-up at others.

The loom reed motion of the present invention is applicable to looms having a reed beat-up mechanism in which the lay beam and the reed carried thereby is caused to reciprocate in a generally vertical direction. For a more detailed description of this form of beat-up mechanism, attention is directed to U.S. Pat. No. 3,425,459.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Looms to which the present invention is applicable utilize rotatable cam members for reciprocating the lay beam and the reed carried thereby between upper and lower positions, the reed on its downward stroke being effective to beat a pick or picks of weft into the fell of the fabric.

To weave terry fabric on looms of this type the present invention provides a control device for deactivating the rotatable cam members utilized for reciprocating the lay beam and reed during the formation of plain fabric. Additional rotatable cam members are activated at this time and through activating arms operatively associated therewith these additional cam members effect the nature of the reed motion. These cams are provided with a plurality of lobe elements on their periphery which vary in height and are effective to shorten the stroke of the lay beam and reed during beat-up of certain picks of weft and to cause the lay and reed to travel the full extent of their stroke during beat-up of other picks of weft.

The short strokes of the lay and reed are effective to partially beat-up weft yarns whereas the long stroke causes full beat-up, which forms the terry loops and completes the cycle.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a loom of the cammed reed type with a mechanism for weaving terry fabric.

A further and more specific object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for weaving terry fabric which is of simplified construction, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and which has long service life expectancy.

These and other objects of the invention will become more fully apparent by reference to the appended claims and as the following detailed description proceeds inreference to the figures of drawing wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a view in front elevation of a shuttleless loom showing the loom reed motion according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the left hand side of the loom showing the mechanism for effecting movement of the reed;

FIG. 3 is a view in side elevation of the mechanism in FIG. 2 showing, by means of phantom lines, the positions of the reed at its partial and full beat-up locations;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the con trol device for activating and deactivating the mechanism of the invention so as to produce plain fabric when desired;

FIG. 4a is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing further detail and position of the controlled link member for effecting full movement of the reed;

FIG. 4b is a view similar to FIG. 4a but showing the controlled link member in a position which renders its movements ineffective upon the reed FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the reed in its uppermost position and illustrating its relationship with respect to an inserted length of weft which it will push toward the fell on its downward stroke and FIG. 6 is a view in side elevation and partially in section showing further detail of the cam means and cooperating linkage for effecting both partial and full beatup movement of the reed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 only those parts of a shuttleless loom having been shown which are required for a complete understanding of the invention.

The mechanisms for reciprocating the lay beam and reed between upper and lower positions during the formation of both terry and plain fabric utilize like parts adjacent each side of the loom and for purpose of brevity only those parts on the left hand side as shown in FIG. 2 will be described in detail.

The invention is disclosed as being applied to a tape or rapier type of shuttleless loom; however, it should be understood that this apparatus for controlling the reed could be applied to other types of shuttleless looms as well as to fly-shuttle looms.

As shown in FIG. 1 the loom includes a pair of spaced frame members or loomsides 10 and 11 which are interconnected by known parts, such as a lower girt shown at 12. Tape wheel housings 13 and 14 are attached to loomsides 10 and 11 by support brackets 15 and 16 respectively and house oscillatable tape wheels (not shown) which are effective, to insert and to withdraw flexible tapes into and from shed openings 17 formed by warp yarns 18 (FIGS. 3 and The flexible tapes are provided with the usual weft carriers 19 and 20 on their respective free ends and are guided for horizontal movement by tape guides 21 and 22 (FIG. 1).

The looms lay beam 23 has attached to it a reed 24. Reed 24 includes a multiplicity of reed dents 25 which are mounted in spaced relationship between base portion 26 and reed cap 27.

Referring once again to FIG. 1 a main cam shaft 28 traverses the distance intermediate the loomsides 10 and 11 with the ends thereof being journalled in suitable bearings 29 (only one shown) carried by the loomsides.

A transmitter gear 30 is mounted on cam shaft 28 adjacent one end thereof and is used to rotate the latter by connecting it to the looms main source ofdrive (not shown). Usual drive sources include an electric motor and a motor pinion in mesh with a transmitter of the type shown. Gear 31 is fixed on the cam shaft adjacent that end opposite the transmitter gear 30 and transmits the rotary motion of cam shaft 28 to drive shaft 32 by means of a gear train as indicated at 33. Drive shaft 32 also spans the distance between the loomsides 10 and 11 with the ends thereof being journalled in bearing members 34 and 35, respectively, which are, in turn, assembled on loomsides 10, 11 (FIG. 1).

The lay beam 23 is supported for reciprocating movement in a generally vertical direction by slide brackets fixed on each end of said lay beam. The slide bracket at the left hand end of the lay beam is depicted generally by numeral 36 and, as earlier set forth, the detailed description of the various elements operatively associated with said slide brackets will be confined to the left hand side of the loom.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, slide bracket 36 is attached to the lay beam 23 by means of screws 37 and is provided on the outer side thereof with an integrally formed guide lug 38 which serves to slidably retain bracket 36 on a rod 39. Rod 39guides the lay and reed during its reciprocating movement between upper and lower positions and is supported at its lower end in a bracket member 40 which attaches to the loomside 10 by means of bolts 41. The lower end of the slide bracket 36 includes a pair of spaced, integrally formed depending ear elements 42 and 43 (FIGS. 1 and 2) having openings for the reception of pin members 44 and 45 respectively. These pin members 44 and 45 extend laterally from the side of their respective ear elements 42 and 43 and provide a pivotable connection for adjustable connecting links 46 and 47. The lower ends of these connecting links 46 and 47 are each pivotally attached to the forward end of an individual actuating arm 48 and 49 respectively (FIG. 2). The actuating arms 48 and 49 are juxtapositioned and extend rearwardly relative to the depth of the loom where their ends terminate in the form of hubs 50 and 51. Hubs 50 and 51 are journalled on a common shaft 52 that is carried in a support bracket 53 which is assembled to the loomside 10 by means of bolts 54.

The actuating arms 48 and 49 are each formed by a pair of spaced bar members which assembly to each sideof their respective hubs 50 and 51. The bar members of actuating arm 48 are identified by numerals 55 and 56 and the bar members of actuating arm 49 are identified by numerals 58 and 59. These bar members are attached to their respective hubs 50 and 51 by any suitable means not shown.

Since the actuating arms being formed by spaced bar members the connecting links 46 and 47 with which they are operatively associated may be assembled in the space intermediate the bar members of their respective actuating arm by means of pins 61 and 62 (FIGS. 6 and 4a). Both actuating arms 48 and 49 are biased in an upwardly direction by means of individual coil springs 63 and 64 (FIGS. 1 and 2). The upper ends of these springs are retained by a horizontally disposed stud 65 which assembles to and extends from the loomside 10. The lower end of spring 63 is attached to a spring retainer 66 (FIG. 2) carried on a pin 67 located between the bar members 55 and 56 of the actuating arm 48. The lower end of spring 64 is attached to spring retainer 68 (FIG. 2) carried on pin 69 intermediate the bar members 58 and 59 of the actuating arm 49.

Intermediate the ends of each actuating arm 48 and 49 a cam follower is supported on a pin which traverses the distance between the bar members of its respective actuating arm. The cam follower in actuating arm 48 is identified by numeral 70 and is supported by pin 71 (FIG. 6). The cam follower in actuating arm 49 is identified by numeral 72 and is supported by pin 73 (FIG. 40).

As heretofore described, the actuating arms 48 and 49 are biased in an upwardly direction, which causes their respective cam followers 70 and 72 to maintain contact with the outer periphery of separate cam members which are fixed on and therefore rotate with the drive shaft 32. The cam member with which cam follower 70 is operatively associated is identified by numetal 74 and is referred to as the terry cam. The cam member with which cam follower 72 is operatively associated is identified by numeral 75 and, in cooperation with cam member 74, is effective in causing full beatup of each inserted pick of weft.

The terry cam 74 is provided on its periphery with three equally spaced, integrally formed lobes which vary in height so as to effect partial and full beat-up of the weft yarn in accordance with the desired terry weaving cycle. Referring to FIG. 3 the biasing means for urging the actuating arms 48 and 49 upwardly is effective to raise the reed 24 to the position shown in solid lines. A first lobe 76 on the terry cam is effective to move the reed downwardly to the phantom line position indicated by numeral 77. In this position the pick of weft is cammed to within approximately inch of full beat-up. A second lobe 78 is effective to move the reed downwardly to the phantom line position indicated by numeral 79 and in this position the pick of weft is cammed to a position which places it approximately 1/l6 inch in back of the previously inserted pick. The third lobe 80 is effective to move the reed downwardly to the phantom line position indicated by numeral 81 aand in this position the inserted pick, along with the two previously inserted picks, are all cammed into full beat-up position simultaneously, at which time the terry loops are formed.

Cam member 75 is provided on its periphery with two integrally formed lobes 82 and 83, which as shown in FIG. 3, are aligned with the lobes 78 and 76, respectively, provided on the terry cam 74. Cams 74 and 7S rotate with the drive shaft 32 and lobe 80 on cam 74, in combination with lobes 82 and 83 on cam 75, are effective in forming plain fabric by causing the reed to move to full beat-up position after the insertion of each pick of weft.

To form terry fabric actuating arm 49 must be rendered ineffective while it continues to pivot in accordance with the dictates of cam member 75. This is ac complished by the selective displacement of the upper portion of the connecting link 47 which is identified by numeral 47 (FIGS. 4a and 4b) and serves to interconnect the actuating arm 49 with the slide bracket 36.

Pin member 45 has one end fixed in the depending ear element 43 of the slide bracket 36 and that portion of member 45 extending laterally from the latter is maintained within an L-shaped slot 84 provided in the upper portion of the connecting link 47'. When pin member 45 is within the confines of the foot portion 84 of slot 84 (FIG. 4a) the actuating arm is effective to raise and lower the lay beam and reed after each pick and to cause full beat-up thereof. When the pin member 45 is aligned with the vertical or leg portion 84 of the slot 84 (FIG. 4b the actuating arm continues to be raised and lowered but the pin simply moves within the limits of the leg portion 84 without acting upon the lay and reed. The upper portion of the connecting link 47 is moved selectively to position its pin 45 in either the foot or leg portion of the L-shaped slot 84, in accordance with a predetermined weaving pattern. The device for shifting the upper portion of the connecting link 47 includes an arcuated arm 85 having a pair of spaced rollers 86 and 87 carried thereon. As shown in (FIGS. 4a and 4b) roller 86 is in contact with the forward side or connecting link 47 and roller 87 is in contact with the rearward side. Arm 85 is slidably mounted in a radial slot 88 which is formed in a bracket 89 that assembles to the loomside by means of bolts 90. The means for slidably moving arm 85 in the radial slot 88 between the phantom and solid line position shown in FIGS. 4 and 4a includes a rod 91 which is interconnected with any suitable selective control unit identified by numeral 92 (FIG. 2). Rollers 86 and 87 serve as guides for the upper portion 47' of the connecting link 47 during its reciprocating movement by the actuating arm 49 when pin 45 is in either of its two selectable positions. These rollers are also effective in pivoting the the upper portion 47 of the connecting link 47 to position its pin 45 when arm 85 is actuated to effect either the weaving of plain fabric or to render actuating arm 49 ineffective upon the lay and reed.

To summarize the operation, the lay and reed are raised to their uppermost position by coil springs 63 and 64 and when in this position the warp threads 18 form the shed opening 17 for the receiption of a pick of weft yarn 93.

When forming terry fabric shown at 94 in FIG. 5 actuating arm 49 is rendered ineffective by the displacement of the upper portion 47 of the connecting link 47 which causes its pin 45 to simply move up and down within the limits of the leg portion 84" of the L-shaped slot 84. During this time the terry cam 74 causes the actuating arm 48 operatively associated therewith to move the lay and reed to positions which effect only partial beat-up of certain pick and full beat-up of others.

When full beat-up occurs, the previous partially beatup picks are moved to full beatup position and at the same time the terry loops are formed.

To form a plain weave at desired locations in the fabric, such as shown in 95 in FIG. 5, the arcuated arm 85 is pivoted forwardly by the selective control unit causing the upper end of the connecting link 47 to move to a position which places pin member 45 in the foot portion 84 of the L-shaped slot 84 as shown in FIG. 4a. In this position the combination of lobe 74 on cam 74 and lobes 82 and 83 on cam are effective in causing the reed to move to full beat-up position after the insertion of each pick of weft yarn.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as those skilled in the art will readily understand. Such modifications and variations are considered to be within the purview and scope of the invention and the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for weaving plain or terry fabric in a loom of the type having a reciprocating lay beam and a reed for movement of a pick of weft toward the fell of the fabric during each cycle of said lay beam, which apparatus comprises first and second cam means mounted for rotation on a common cam drive shaft, individual means operably connecting said first and second cam means with said lay beam, one of said cam means having lobes which cause only full movement of the reed toward the fell and the other of said cam means having at least one lobe which causes full movement of the reed toward the fell and the remainder of which causes only partial movement of the reed toward the fell, and control means to render said cam means having lobes causing only full movement of the reed toward the fell inoperative when it is desired to produce terry fabric.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second cam means are positioned so that the cam lobes on both said cam means cooperate to cause full movement of the reed when said cam means having lobes causing full movement of the reed is in operative position.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said individual means operably connecting said first and second cam means includes actuating arms (48, 49) having connecting links (46, 47) connecting said lay beam with said cam means (74, 75).

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said connecting link (47) can be selectively engaged and disengaged from connection to said lay beam.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said control means is operably connected to said connecting link (47) which connects said cam means (75) with said lay beam.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said connection between said control means and said connecting link comprises a pin and a means defining a slot within which said pin is disposed, said pin and said means defining a slot being movable one relative to the other between positions where said cam means (75) can drive said lay beam and a position where it cannot.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said means defining a slot is formed in said connecting link and includes a first portion thereof extending in a direction parallel with the sides of said link and a second portion extending in a plane normal to said first portion. 

1. An apparatus for weaving plain or terry fabric in a loom of the type having a reciprocating lay beam and a reed for movement of a pick of weft toward the fell of the fabric during each cycle of said lay beam, which apparatus comprises first and second cam means mounted for rotation on a common cam drive shaft, individual means operably connecting said first and second cam means with said lay beam, one of said cam means having lobes which cause only full movement of the reed toward the fell and the other of said cam means having at least one lobe which causes full movement of the reed toward the fell and the remainder of which causes only partial movement of the reed toward the fell, and control means to render said cam means having lobes causing only full movement of the reed toward the fell inoperative when it is desired to produce terry fabric.
 2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second cam means are positioned so that the cam lobes on both said cam means cooperate to cause full movement of the reed when said cam means having lobes causing full movement of the reed is in operative position.
 3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said individual means operably connecting said first and second cam means includes actuating arms (48, 49) having connecting links (46, 47) connecting said lay beam with said cam means (74, 75).
 4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said connecting link (47) can be selectively engaged and disengaged from connection to said lay beam.
 5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said control means is operably connected to said connecting link (47) which connects said cam means (75) with said lay beam.
 6. An apparatus as defined in claim 5 Wherein said connection between said control means and said connecting link comprises a pin and a means defining a slot within which said pin is disposed, said pin and said means defining a slot being movable one relative to the other between positions where said cam means (75) can drive said lay beam and a position where it cannot.
 7. An apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said means defining a slot is formed in said connecting link and includes a first portion thereof extending in a direction parallel with the sides of said link and a second portion extending in a plane normal to said first portion. 